Petrucelli - Aritmetica e Geometria Pratica - 1768

HEAVY SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY MANUSCRIPT: BETWEEN PRACTICE, MEASUREMENT AND DESIGN
Rare and fascinating manuscript of practical mathematics and geometry, intended for concrete, everyday use rather than academic study, where theory and application coexist in a direct, almost artisanal form. The volume stands out for its abundance of pen-drawn diagrams, practical examples (measuring surfaces, casks, lands, polygons) and a lively handwriting that betrays a didactic or professional context. It is a precious document of technical culture between the 16th and 18th centuries, in which mathematics emerges from universities and takes root in trades, surveyors, and architects.
MARKET VALUE
For similar technical manuscripts with a mathematical-practical scope, the market generally records values between 800 and 2,000 euros, with higher figures in the presence of rich iconography, good conservation, and more precise attribution.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Contemporary full parchment binding showing signs of use; spine with handwritten text. Entirely manuscript text in brown ink, with numerous geometric figures drawn in ink in the text (diagrams, proportional schemes, solid figures and practical applications). Pages with some stains and browning. In ancient books, with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (8); 572; 16ll; (24); 6ll; (2); 10ll; (6).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Institutions of Arithmetic and Practical Geometry.
Castelfranco, 1768.
D. Giovanni Petrucelli.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The manuscript situates itself in the tradition of Italian practical mathematics, developed between the 16th and 18th centuries, intended for merchants, technicians, surveyors and architects. Unlike theoretical treatises, here knowledge is aimed at use: calculation of surfaces, indirect measurements, proportions, geometric constructions applied to real objects (such as casks and lands). Particularly interesting is the presence of concrete examples and operational explanations, reflecting an empirical pedagogy probably tied to a local or professional context. The hand-drawn figures are not mere ornaments but working tools, sign of knowledge transmitted through practice.
This type of manuscript represents a primary source for the history of the spread of mathematics outside university circuits, documenting the transition from theoretical to applied knowledge, often in artisanal or ecclesiastical contexts.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Giovanni Petrucelli, a priest active in the early 18th century, is a poorly documented figure, but the manuscript suggests a role as teacher or compiler of didactic texts intended for students or practitioners. His work is placed in the Italian tradition of applied mathematics, in which the clergy often played a fundamental role in transmitting technical knowledge.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
As a manuscript, the work does not belong to a printed editorial tradition, but rather to a limited and selective circulation. It is plausible that the text was intended for internal use (teaching, technical training) and that only a few copies, if any, exist. This increases its historical and collectible value, especially in relation to the history of scientific pedagogy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Cajori, F., A History of Mathematical Notations, Chicago, 1928, pp. 150–180
Kline, M., Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times, New York, 1972, vol. II, pp. 395–420
Grendler, P., Schooling in Renaissance Italy, Baltimore, 1989, pp. 210–245
ICCU/OPAC SBN: no direct match identified (manuscript not cataloged)
Smith, D.E., History of Mathematics, Boston, 1923, vol. I, pp. 320–345"} }